Wedding Gift Etiquette
If you have ever been invited to a wedding, you know there’s certain etiquette that comes with the territory and if you’ve never been invited to a wedding, it’s time to touch up on your wedding gift etiquette skills. Even if you don’t plan on attending the wedding, there are etiquette rules that must be followed and then factor in whether or not cash is appropriate and registry issues and it all becomes very confusing very quickly. Here’s our quick run-down on proper wedding gift etiquette.
About the Registry
One of the first questions that should come to your mind when you’ve been invited to a wedding is whether or not the couple has registered. This makes gift-giving super simple as they have told you exactly what they want and you’ll know you’re not buying a duplicate. The problem with registries is that many see them as impersonal so you are definitely within etiquette bounds to foray off the registry into something that they will always remember coming from you.
If you don’t know if the couple has registered or not, you can ask the bride’s parents or the members of the wedding party. Generally this info won’t be found on the invite and the couple will rely on word-of-mouth.
Money and Price
Wedding gifts can get expensive and you’re definitely not expected to go broke because your best friends got married. Pay what you can afford but you should expect to pay a little bit more if you brought a date to the wedding. Never take into consideration the style of wedding or reception they’re having. How much you spend on the wedding gift is about what you can afford, not them.
Many guests wonder if it’s appropriate to give cash as a wedding gift and it’s not only accepted and appropriate but it’s usually very welcomed! Make sure you do it properly though. Instead of handing the groom a fistful of cash at the reception, bring a cheque and quietly hand it to the best man or members of the family.
Timing
Once you’ve found the perfect gift, do not wrap it up and bring it to the wedding with you. If the couple has registered, they will provide an address where gifts can be sent and this can be done as early as several weeks before the wedding.
If you can’t attend the wedding or weren’t able to send a gift beforehand, proper etiquette states that guests have up until one year to send gifts. However, get the wedding gift as soon as possible and ideally before the couple returns from their honeymoon. This will prevent you from becoming ‘the guest who forgot the wedding gift’ – which is really poor etiquette.
To Send or Not to Send?
If you won’t be attending the wedding, etiquette states that you should still send a gift. After all, the gift is to symbolize your happiness for the couple, not an obligation because you received an invite.
Many couples choose to include, “No gifts, please,” on their invitations but don’t take this as law. It’s a nice gesture for the couple to make so that no one feels awkward about buying a gift but they’re not likely to refuse a small token of your congratulatory wishes, either.
